The Skeleton Krewe was founded in 1999. Inspired by the early days of Carnival before tractors and floats replaced walking processions, the Krewe has become one of New Orleans’ premier marching clubs. The Krewe began actively marching as a small group of friends, but has grown to 40 active members. The Krewe can be seen leading the D’Etat parade Friday night before Mardi Gras and marching from Uptown to downtown very early Mardi Gras morning.

The Skeleton Krewe was founded by Christopher Kirsch and other native New Orleanians. The group was born out of a desire to celebrate art of papier mache costume crafting and the long tradition of masking as skeletons here in New Orleans and around the world. The word "Carnival" means "taking away" or "farewell to" the flesh, and the skeleton figure is common in global Carnival traditions from Haiti and Trinidad, to Africa, to Europe, to the deep tradition of African American Bone Gangs in New Orleans.

​ Skeletons appear in many global festivals, from the Dios de los Muertos in Mexico to Buddhist ceremonies in India and Tibet.